Bartlett was supposed to debate incumbent Republican state Sen. Michael McLachlan. But McLachlan pulled out of the Greater Danbury NAACP-sponsored event about 12 hours earlier.

"The Danbury NAACP is not a neutral organization in this campaign, as their president, Glenda Armstrong is an active member of the Democratic Town Committee and the NAACP has issued press releases criticizing me," McLachlan wrote in a prepared statement Saturday.

"I was willing to overlook their candidate bias and attend their event if they would provide clear debate parameters, but they failed to honor that commitment," McLachlan wrote.

Bartlett said Saturday that he came because, "I owe it to the constituents to share my vision and ideas for the future. It's just common courtesy.

"As candidates with records as public officials, we owe the public answers on what we voted for in the Legislature and why," said the former state representative.

The event's moderator, former state Education Commissioner George Coleman, said he thought the change in format provided "a good opportunity to educate and share with Mr. Bartlett the issues of concern that affect people's lives."

Coleman said he was, however, "disappointed the community could not assess the different points of view of both candidates."

Armstrong said the NAACP would give McLachlan and other candidates more opportunities to debate.

"We are a nonpartisan organization and we're here to give voice to the voiceless," Armstrong said. "This will not be the last chance to address the needs of the disenfranchised, whether they are such through language, education or economic challenges."